Folding cabinet-bed



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 s. H. WITMER FOLDING GABINBT BED.

Patented Feb. 21,1882.

N. PETERS. FhmmLilhugl-Jpher. Washin ton. D. c.

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(No Model. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. H. WITMER.

FOLDING CABINET BED.

Patented Feb. 21, 18 82.

lllllllllllll PATENT Erica.

SAMUEL H. WITMER,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING CABINET-BED.

SPECIFICATION formingvpart of Letters Patent No. 253,903, dated February 21, 1882.

\ Application filed December 24, 1881. (No model.)

. ing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Cabinet-Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to those sectional bedfsteads which are capable of being folded together, so as to resemble an ordinary bureau or sideboard; and my improvement consists in applying a shiftable extension to the head-sectionof the bed, said extension being so constructed as to preservcavertical position when the article of furniture is both open and closed, and being provided with a concealed counterbalance, in order that itmay be conveniently manipulated, as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my cabinet-bedstead in its closed condition. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, taken at the line 8 Sof Fig. 3, which latter illustration is a rear elevation of the cabinet. Fig. 4 is a sectionized elevation of the upper portion of the cabinet,the hinged legs being inclined and the back of .said cabinet slid up preparatory to opening the rear section. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the bed ready for the reception of the mattress. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the head-board of said open bed. Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section of said head-board.

My article of furniture is so constructed as to have, when closed, the appearance of an ordinary sideboard or cabinet, as seen in Fig.1, although the proportions and style therein represented may be varied to suit the demands of the trade. This cabinet has a base or supporting-frame composed of two stout ends, A B, securely united by stretchers G D, of which stretchers the one 0 has hinged to it atcc the front E of the outer falling section, said front being furnished with imitation doors 0 and drawers 6. Fastened to this front are two boards, F F, which form the side rails of the foot section when the bed is opened,as seen in Fig. 5, said members Eand F F having se= cured to them a board, G, which serves as one half of the cabinet-top. Pivoted to this cabinet top at g g are a pair of legs,Y Y, adapted to assume a vertical position as soon as the foot-section E F F is opened.

Hinged at d d to the rear stretcher,D,is the head-section of the bed, said section being composed of a back, H, side rails, I I, and an end board,J, which forms the rear half of the cabinet-top, said members H I I J being securely united together.

Hinged at j j to the rear edge of this board J are legs K K, united at top and bottom by rails 70 70, so as to afford a secure rectangular frame capable of supporting the head-section of the bed. The baclrH has a vertical extension, L, provided with side wings, ll, resting on the rear portion, J, of the cabinettop, said extension being coupled to the legs K K by boxes N N, so as to allow a slight shifting of this member L. Secured at 11, near the bottom of this shiftable extension, is one end of a rope, O, which, after passing around a sheave, P, fastened to the rail 70, has at itslower end a counter-balance, R, traversing a weight-box, S, which latter projects from the back H of the .lieadsection of the bed T represents a system of hooks and staples or other convenient retaining devices for securing the various members of the bed in their proper position-s, both when open and closed.

U represents a canvas or other suitable flexible material, connecting thelower or inner ends of the members E and H, said flexible coupling serving to support the intermediate section, V, the latter being notched at o to admit guidesab,seoured to theinteriorof theends AB.

W is a turn-bar for securing the head-section of the bed in a vertical position.

X X are handles applied to the rear of the sliding extension L. When my article of furniture is in its closed condition, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the rear or head section, II I IJ,is maintained in an erect position by the turn-bar W, while the front or foot section, E F F G, is securely locked to said rear section by the hooks and staples T, or by catches or their equivalents. The sliding extension L rests on the rear half, J, of the cabinettop, being steadied thereon by the wings I l. Furthermore, when thus closed the central section, V, is suspended between the ends of the base. and the stretchers G D, as seen in Fig. 2. The article of furniture now presents the appearance of an ordinary cabinet or sideboard, the top thereof, G J, affording considerable room for the reception of various useful or ornamented objects, &c. The cabinet may, however, be readily converted into acapacious and comfortable bed by observing the following directions: The piece of furniture is first drawn a .sufficient distance away from the wall of the room, and the hooks T are disengaged from their appropriate staples, after which act the front or foot section, E F F G, is turned down to a horizontal position and supported by swinging the legs YY out from their respective pockets. The sliding extension L is then run up far enough on the frame K K to enable the wings I Z to clear the top J, whensaid frame is swung forward, as seen in Fig. 4, the counter-balance R enabling this shifting of said extension to be effected with the utmost facility. The rear or head section, H I 1 J, is now turned down to a horizontal position and the frame K K is brought to a perpendicular, so as to serve as legs for supporting said section. The momentthese changes are effected the wings I 1 rest on the upper edges of the side rails, I I, and the proper hooks being now engaged with the staples, these wings, with the extension L, and supporting-frame K K, are securely held in position. When the cabinet is thus opened, as seen in Fig. 5, the flexible medium U supports the intermediate section, V, about on the same level as the bottom pieces,E and H, of the foot and head sections, respectively, thereby rendering it an easy matter for the mattress and bedding to be applied, which articles can be concealed within the closed cabinet.

I J of a folding or cabinet bedstead, the frame K K k k, hinged thereto at j j, and carrying a shiftable extension, L, the latter being counterbalanced by a concealed weight, It, suspended from a rope, O, passing over a pulley, P, of said frame, and then secured to said extension L, substantially as herein described.

2. A folding or cabinet bedstead, consisting of the supporting-base A B G D, to which is coupled, at c c and d d, respectively, the footsection E F F G, having swinging legs Y Y, and the'head-section H I I J, having hinged to it atjj the frame K K 70 k, carrying a shiftableextension, L, the latter being counterbalanced by a weight, R, suspended from a rope, O, passing over a p'ulley,P, of said frame,and then secured to said extension L, substantially as herein described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL I II. WITMER.

Witnesses:

' JAMEs H. LAYMAN,

SAML. S. CARPENTER. 

